Bang! The Card Game

Today's review is of the 2002 release, Bang!  For 4-7 players, it takes 30-40 minutes.

Overview
In the wild west, you are a sheriff, deputy, outlaw, or renegade. Your goal depends on your role:
- sheriff: eliminate all outlaws and renegade(s)
- outlaw: eliminate the sheriff
- deputy: help and protect the sheriff
- renegade: be the last character in play

At the start of the game, each player is given a role card (kept secret except for the sheriff) and a character card (which grants a special and unique ability to each player and is visible to all).  Your goal (in general) is to eliminate other players based on their role. Since you know only your role and the sheriff's, pay close attention to what other players are doing. Once a person is eliminated (has 0 life), they reveal their role and sit out the rest of the game.

On your turn,

- draw two cards (from the common draw pile)

- play any number of cards (cards that help you or hurt your opponent; examples: bang! cards to 'hit' other players, beer cards to heal yourself, weapons cards to change who/how you shoot, etc.)

- discard excess cards (you can hold a number of cards equal to the life points you have)

The game continues until one side or the other has been eliminated.

the cards; image from here

Review

There's a lot to like about this game- it's fun, funny, and the cards give a lot of options.  It doesn't quite meet the heights of its successor, though (Bang! The Dice Game, released eleven years later) for two reasons:

- the player count (4-7) is more restrictive (the dice variant is 3-8)

- the card game feels like it takes soooo much longer.  Most games I played started out fun and became a "when will it end" affair.  I've seen games take an hour or more.

The one thing it has on its cousin is options- the cards give you lots of abilities the dice equivalent does not- but that's the only thing.  This is a good example of a game where removing options can sometimes be a net positive.  File this in the good, not great, category- and play the dice version if you get a chance.

Rating: B